Today we celebrate Fran DeLeonard’s life. She is now with Jesus, Whom she loved and served. When I think of Fran, I sing to my own soul the hymn we sang together, “My Jesus, I Lovce Thee.” These words were written in 1862 and loved by the church ever since (Hymnary.org)
1 My Jesus, I love thee, I know thou art mine;
for thee all the follies of sin I resign;
my gracious Redeemer, my Savior art thou;
if ever I loved thee, my Jesus, ’tis now.
2 I love thee because thou hast first loved me
and purchased my pardon on Calvary’s tree;
I love thee for wearing the thorns on thy brow;
if ever I loved thee, my Jesus, ’tis now.
3 I’ll love thee in life, I will love thee in death,
and praise thee as long as thou lendest me breath,
and say when the deathdew lies cold on my brow:
If ever I loved thee, my Jesus, ’tis now.
4 In mansions of glory and endless delight,
I’ll ever adore thee in heaven so bright;
I’ll sing with the glittering crown on my brow:
If ever I loved thee, my Jesus, ’tis now.
Fran lived a life of service to others, and it was her joy to ask, “What can I do to help?” Even when she was ill recently, she hated being helped by others. It was as if the role reversal was difficult for her. She cared for people, she loved gardening, she cared for people’s dogs, and she served wherever she could. We will miss her smile and her eyes that sparkled with love for others.
Today we celebrate that she now knows the mansions of glory. She now walks with her Savior who gave her life meaning and helped her overcome life’s difficulties. And with her, we worship the Father who loves us all. “If ever I loved thee, my Jesus ’tis now, for His redemptive power that sustains us all as it sustained Fran for her years among us.
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